The FDA grants this designation to drugs with the potential to treat a rare disease or condition that affects fewer than 200,000 people in the United States.

“We are very pleased to receive orphan drug designations for not only one, but two investigational compounds for the potential treatment of cancer,” said Nicholas C. Nicolaides, Ph.D., President and CEO of Morphotek. “We believe that working toward treating disease, no matter the size of the patient population, is essential to the achievement of our human health care mission, which is to give first thought to patients and their families and to increasing the benefits that health care provides. Ultimately, these compounds could significantly improve our ability to provide enhanced treatment options for patients suffering from two very serious diseases.”